Apple Launches Freeform App Across iPhone, iPad, And Mac

Apple, which has been beta testing iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 for several weeks, has finally begun rolling out the stable version of the software to compatible devices across the globe. Among the feature additions that iOS 16.2 brings to the table is the new karaoke feature called Apple Music Sing, the expansion of the scope of Advanced Data Protection support for iCloud, new options within lock screen settings, the addition of SharePlay support in Game Center, and the addition of Live Activities support for Apple TV. While these features add many sought-after capabilities to all devices running iOS/iPadOS, the biggest feature addition with iOS 16.2 is the introduction of a collaboration software called Apple Freeform.

Apple first showcased Freeform during the company's June 2022 WWDC keynote, where it was introduced as a dynamic canvas whiteboard app that can be used by multiple users in real time. At first glance, the features of Apple Freeform look similar to the capabilities offered by Miro, a popular visual collaboration platform that has been around for over a decade. Unlike Miro, which charges a minimum of $10/per person, per month, Apple's Freeform will be available as a free download to millions of iPhone, iPad, and macOS users across the globe.

Like Miro, Freeform lets users invite others to join and collaborate on a board and work faster. Apple seems to have designed Freeform to appeal to a broad swathe of audiences looking for a high-quality, cost-effective visual collaborative app for a long time.

Among the key features that help Freeform stand out from the crowd include its ability to support various file formats and infinite canvases. In addition, the software also features iCloud integration that ensures that data is always synced across the board, irrespective of the device being used to access or make changes to the board. Sketching forms a significant part of Freeform's capabilities, and the app lets users try various brush styles and color options. The app also supports Apple Pencil, and iPad users can sketch and jot down ideas even while on the move.

Freeform supports a wide variety of photo, video, audio, and document file formats. Adding any of these file types onto the board is a simple drag-and-drop affair. Freeform also lets users add links to websites, location data, and even sticky notes directly on the board. In addition to these, Freeform natively supports 700 different options to choose from its shapes library. If the desired shape is not a part of the library, it even allows users to create custom shapes.

In its current form, Apple Freeform supports up to 100 users working on a single board. To make lives easier for collaborators, the app even offers a built-in Facetime calling option, which users can use to make quick calls to colleagues. Freeform is also integrated with Apple's recently refreshed Messages app, which allows any Freeform user to invite new members by simply dragging and dropping the board to a messages thread containing all the users.

Apple has confirmed that Freeform will roll out to every device that will be updated to iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1, starting on December 13, 2022.